Prison religion
Encyclopedia
Prison religion includes the religious
beliefs and practices of prison
inmates, usually stemming from or including concepts surrounding their imprisonment and accompanying lifestyle. "Prison Ministry" is a larger concept, including the support of the spiritual and religious needs of prison guards and staff, whose work in an often demanding and brutal environment often creates a special need for pastoral care, similar to the care that is extended to the military, police officers and fire fighters.
into Eastern Europe
was through the work of an early 11th century Muslim prisoner who was captured by the Byzantines
during their war against Muslims. The Muslim prisoner was brought into the territory of the Pechenegs where he taught and converted individuals to Islam. In the United States, early colonists originated the concept of the penitentiary
as a place where inmates would demonstrate their penance
and remorse for their crimes through prayer and reflection.
Chaplains have worked with prisoners and prison staff for many years, even before formal legislation addressed the constitutional rights of inmates. However, recognition of the religious rights of prisoners took a significant step forward in 1987, when the Supreme Court of the United States
ruled that prison inmates retain many constitutional rights, including that of religion.
A 2005 Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
study suggests that the practice of religion significantly reduces the chance of prisoners to engage in verbal or physical altercations, and increases the likelihood of reform after completing prison sentence time.
In 1970, Rabbi Philip R. Alstat
, who served as Jewish chaplain for The Tombs
, the Manhattan Detention Facility, for thirty years, and also served as the Secretary of the National Jewish Council of Prison Chaplains, shared his vision of prison ministry by saying, "My goals are the same as those of the prison authorities--to make better human beings. The only difference is that their means are discipline, security, and iron bars. Mine are the spiritual ministrations that operate with the mind and the heart."
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
beliefs and practices of prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
inmates, usually stemming from or including concepts surrounding their imprisonment and accompanying lifestyle. "Prison Ministry" is a larger concept, including the support of the spiritual and religious needs of prison guards and staff, whose work in an often demanding and brutal environment often creates a special need for pastoral care, similar to the care that is extended to the military, police officers and fire fighters.
History
Many religious groups often supply scripture and reading material, organize programs and worship, and train chaplains for work in prisons. Members of religious groups also engage in missionary activity, as there has been many instances of conversion throughout history. For instance, one of the earliest introductions of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
into Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
was through the work of an early 11th century Muslim prisoner who was captured by the Byzantines
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
during their war against Muslims. The Muslim prisoner was brought into the territory of the Pechenegs where he taught and converted individuals to Islam. In the United States, early colonists originated the concept of the penitentiary
Penitentiary
Penitentiary may refer to:* Prison or penitentiary, a correctional facility* Apostolic Penitentiary, a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Roman Catholic Church* Penitentiary...
as a place where inmates would demonstrate their penance
Penance
Penance is repentance of sins as well as the proper name of the Roman Catholic, Orthodox Christian, and Anglican Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation/Confession. It also plays a part in non-sacramental confession among Lutherans and other Protestants...
and remorse for their crimes through prayer and reflection.
Chaplains have worked with prisoners and prison staff for many years, even before formal legislation addressed the constitutional rights of inmates. However, recognition of the religious rights of prisoners took a significant step forward in 1987, when the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruled that prison inmates retain many constitutional rights, including that of religion.
A 2005 Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
The Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion is a peer-reviewed journal, published by Wiley-Blackwell in the United States of America under the auspices of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, dedicated to publishing scholarly articles in the social sciences, including psychology,...
study suggests that the practice of religion significantly reduces the chance of prisoners to engage in verbal or physical altercations, and increases the likelihood of reform after completing prison sentence time.
Reasons for religious involvement
Prisoners may become involved with religion while incarcerated for a variety of reasons ranging from the materially pragmatic to the personal and spiritual. According to research conducted by sociologist Harry R. Dammer, some of the more prominent reasons include:- Gaining direction and meaning in one's life.
- Improving one's concept of self.
- Promoting personal behavioral change.
- Gaining protection.
- Meeting other inmates.
- Meeting volunteers.
- Obtaining prison resources.
In 1970, Rabbi Philip R. Alstat
Philip R. Alstat
Philip Reis Alstat was a well-known American Conservative rabbi, teacher, chaplain, speaker and writer. Born in Kaunas , Lithuania, he came to the United States in 1898, studying at City College of New York , Columbia University , and the Jewish Theological Seminary of America , where he received...
, who served as Jewish chaplain for The Tombs
The Tombs
"The Tombs" is the colloquial name for the Manhattan Detention Complex, a jail in Lower Manhattan at 125 White Street, as well as the popular name of a series of preceding downtown jails, the first of which was built in 1838 in the Egyptian Revival style of architecture.The nickname has been used...
, the Manhattan Detention Facility, for thirty years, and also served as the Secretary of the National Jewish Council of Prison Chaplains, shared his vision of prison ministry by saying, "My goals are the same as those of the prison authorities--to make better human beings. The only difference is that their means are discipline, security, and iron bars. Mine are the spiritual ministrations that operate with the mind and the heart."
See also
- Prison contemplative programsPrison contemplative programsPrison contemplative programs are classes or practices that are offered at correctional institutions for inmates and prison staff. There are measured or anecdotally reported benefits from studies of these programs such a stress relief for inmates and staff...
- Prison reformPrison reformPrison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-History:Prisons have only been used as the primary punishment for criminal acts in the last couple of centuries...
- Religion in the United States' prisons
- Conversion to Islam in prisonsConversion to Islam in prisons-Concern in United States:Concern over jailhouse conversions to Islam first rose in 2001 when Imam Warith Deen Umara, Islamic chaplain for the New York State prison system, was reported to have praised the September 11 attacks...
Organizations
- International Network of Prison MinistriesInternational Network of Prison MinistriesThe International Network of Prison Ministries is an organization with a website that serves as a clearinghouse for information about various Christian prison ministries...
- Crossroad Bible Institute UK
- Buddhist Peace FellowshipBuddhist Peace FellowshipThe Buddhist Peace Fellowship is a nonsectarian international network of engaged Buddhists participating in various forms of nonviolent social activism and environmentalism with chapters all over the world...
- European Aleph InstituteEuropean Aleph InstituteThe European Aleph Institute is a group, founded in 2005 and based in Brussels, dedicated to ensuring the rights of an estimated 3,500 to 5,000 Jews imprisoned in Europe to practice their religion. They arrange for prisoners to be provided with kosher meals, religious texts and ceremonial objects,...
- Exodus MinistriesExodus MinistriesExodus Ministries is a Dallas, Texas-based non-denominational Christian former prisoner rehabilitation organization, which attempts to help those who are released from prison back into society at large...
- KairosKairosKairos is an ancient Greek word meaning the right or opportune moment . The ancient Greeks had two words for time, chronos and kairos. While the former refers to chronological or sequential time, the latter signifies a time in between, a moment of indeterminate time in which something special...
Prison Ministry - Prison FellowshipPrison FellowshipPrison Fellowship is a Christian prison outreach and criminal justice reform organization. Its programs reach prisoners, ex-prisoners, and families of prisoners throughout the United States and, through Prison Fellowship International , in 112 countries worldwide.- Leadership :Charles W...
- Rosicrucian FellowshipRosicrucian FellowshipThe Rosicrucian Fellowship – "An International Association of Christian Mystics" – was founded in 1909 by Max Heindel as herald of the Aquarian Age and with the aim of publicly promulgating "the true Philosophy" of the Rosicrucians....